Green, who was appointed on January 17, assures parents that the school management team is working tirelessly and diligently to solve all the problems faced by the school.
However, parents still demand a permanent appointment of a new headmaster.
It is nearly four years since the Reiger Park Primary School was left without a headmaster, after the former principal was removed from his post.
In 2010, the GDE suspended the former principal of the school, Neill Lochenberg, following financial mismanagement allegations.
Lochenberg was later dismissed after he was found guilty on several counts of financial mismanagement.
To temporarily fill the vacant position during the investigation, the department appointed Anil Gowrie as acting principal of the school in 2010.
Gowrie served his three-year-term as an acting principal faced with intense criticism from parents, for his alleged lacklustre performance.
Ever since the dismissal of the former principal, parents have been demanding a permanent appointment of a new headmaster.
Parents claim that they were promised that a new principal of the school would be named soon after the School Governing Body (SGB) has made its recommendations, selecting a list of preferable candidates for final consideration by the GDE.
However, until now, the decision on appointing the new principal of the school is nowhere in sight.
While the process to appoint a new principal was still ongoing, three members of the Reiger Park Primary SGB were also suspended from the SGB after they were being accused of maladministration.
Parents questioned the suspension of the members as well as the delay in appointing the new principal.
In response to the parents’ concerns, the GDE blamed the delay in appointing a new principal on the suspended SGB members.
According to the GDE spokesperson, Gershwin Chuenyane, the investigation into the conduct of the SGB in relation to financial irregularities, and the subsequent suspension of the body, have caused the delay in appointing a new principal of the school to replace, Neill Lochenberg, who was dismissed.
In terms of the South African Schools Act, the SGB recommends the appointment of staff.
However, according to Chuenyane, in the case of Reiger Park Primary School, the district director will now play that role owing to the suspension of the SGB in terms of the South African Schools Act.
According to parents, the school is also plagued by shortages of teachers, study materials, building not being maintained, lack of sports facilities and poor management.
However, the new acting principal assures parents that he is working in partnership with all the relevant stakeholders to address all the existing problems.
These include the election of new members to join the SGB, to ensure that the process to appoint a replacement principal is progressing quickly, and to ensure that the school provides an environment that is conducive for learning and teaching.
During a recent parents meeting, principals from local schools have vowed that they would assist the school management in ensuring that problem faced by the school are addressed soon.
